November 08, (THEWILL) – Liverpool and Colombia winger, Luis Diaz, is set to be reunited with his father soon after he is released by the Colombian rebel group, Ejercito de Liberacion Nacional (ELN).
Diaz’s father, Luis Manuel Diaz, and mother, Cilenis Marulanda, were kidnapped on October 28th by ELN gunmen. While Marulanda was released shortly after, the elder Diaz has remained captive for over two weeks. The situation has taken an emotional toll on the 26-year-old Diaz, who sat out two Liverpool matches following the incident.
Diaz made an impassioned appeal for his father’s release after scoring in Liverpool’s 1-1 draw with Luton Town on Sunday. ELN rebels have reportedly agreed to hand Luis Manuel Diaz over to United Nations officials “in compliance with last-minute protocols.”
The exact date and circumstances of the release are still unclear. However, this development will come as a relief to Diaz and his family, who have described feeling “terrible” and “worried” about Luis Manuel’s wellbeing. Diaz’s Liverpool teammates, including goalkeeper Alisson Becker, have praised his strength in dealing with the traumatic situation.
This impending release marks a potentially happy conclusion to a distressing saga for one of Liverpool’s key players. Diaz will be hoping for a swift reunion with his father and a return to footballing normalcy after ELN makes good on its word.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
